Kentucky has not been great this year, and they are without Jaland Lowe. They are just 10-6 and 1-2, but LSU has lost 3 straight, and they are without their leading scorer Dedan Thomas, so you would think Kentucky would have garnered a little respect.
Nope.
During the pre-show for tonight's game, both in-studio SEC Network analysts, Pat Bradley and Ron Slay, picked LSU. Figures from a couple of Vols.
LSU is on a 3-game losing streak but still gets more respect
LSU with Dedan Thomas is a different team. The young man brings a lot of energy, scoring, and passing to the game. He averages 16 and 7, is the team's leading scorer, and can be electric with the ball in his hands. Kentucky really doesn't have an answer for what he can bring, missing both Jayden Quaintance and Jaland Lowe.
He will not be playing tonight, so LSU becomes the team we have seen the last 3 games. They have lost:
- 75-72 to Texas A&M
- 78-68 to South Carolina in Baton Rouge
- 84-73 to Vanderbilt
That is a team Kentucky can beat, and probably should beat. LSU averages 17 points less when Thomas is not playing. But when asked to pick who they think was going to win and name their MVP, both former Vols picked LSU.
Pat Bradley said Kentucky was going to have the ball down 2 on the final possession but miss the last shot and lose 75-73, with Ron Slay saying Kentucky would lose 75-70. They said Marquel Sutton and Max McKinnon would be the difference in the game. No one talked about how Kentucky may have found some answers when they came back against LSU. But honestly, they have to earn that. People aren't going to believe again until they prove it.
Kentucky will have the chance to prove them wrong, and they better or they are looking at a 1-3 SEC start and a real possibility of missing the NCAA Tournament.